IN BUHARI IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF?

There are those who believe that our Nation is gradually sliding to a Dictatorship, there are also those who believe that in President Buhari we have a Dictator in Aso Rock be that as it may the current trend of events in the Country calls for all people of goodwill from across the Nation to begin to speak and advice our President. it was Albert Einstein who was quoted to have said "The World is a dangerous place to live in not because of those who do evil, but because of those who watch and let it happen"

The advocates of dictatorship points to the President’s rubbishing of the quota system or Federal Character in his choice for those he appoints into strategic Government Positions as almost all key positions of his Government are in the hands of people from his region under the control of the Hausa/Fulani and exclusively Muslims. They also point at the President’s open disregard for the Judiciary and his continues disobedience of Court Orders. They stress that the times are similar to Buhari’s first coming as a Military Head of Sate and that History is repeating itself in Nigeria.

History is skewed and one’s understanding of History is often based on the perspective you are reading the events from. History tells me, President Mohammadu Buhari is a beneficiary of two Coups that he neither planned nor contributed in execution. First in 1983, we have been told that the young officers who staged the Coup invited Buhari to take over the Government and when the Coup plotters felt alienated from the Government they helped to form, they struck again and the rest as they say is History.

Second: Former Governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and others of like minds staged a well orchestrated civilian coup that toppled the Government of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Installed Buhari who had actually retired from active politics in 2011.

The question many are asking now; “is Buhari sidelining those that brought him to office again”? Some are of the opinion that, that is exactly what is happening now. That however is not the focus of this discourse.

The worrisome trend to me is my perceived use of the instruments of State as tools to witch hunt opponents especially vocal opponents. Femi Fani Kayode a former Minister of Aviation did not have a question to answer with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, until he wrote: “National Grazing Bill: the greatest evil of all” then the EFCC dusted Fani Kayode’s file and had him detained till date.

It’s on record that Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose had been a long standing critic of President Buhari (and that is what opposition means in politics) even before he became our President. Fayose had virtually had his way until he was reported to have “Banned Cattle grazing in Ekiti State, insisting cattle farmers must own ranches” the EFCC went after Governor Fayose freezing his personal account. The hurdle Lawyers must cross in the Ekiti debacle if they have not seen it as such is the obvious fact that Governor Fayose is a serving Governor who enjoys immunity from prosecution, the question therefore is; can we separate Fayose the man from the Governor and prosecute one or does the Immunity his office confers on him by the constitution covers his personal assets?

while the legal experts are at work, it's pertinent to point out that the Instruments of State must not be seen to be an extension of Mr. President and that anyone who disagrees with the President stands the risk of being detained. President Buhari of all people must know by now that Power is transient and that those who wield it notoriously will be at the receiving end tomorrow.

There is no politician in Nigeria today including President Buhari that will not have questions to answer if the searchlight of scrutiny is beamed on them. That is why many insist that what the President is doing is merely witch hunting or going after corrupt individuals and that it is not equal to “fighting corruption” Our President will indeed be fighting corruption when he strengthens the institutions of governance including the Judiciary he loathes and disrespect openly. Only in so doing we can curb the excesses of public office holders and make them accountable to the People that supposedly elected them into office.

The Presidents current posturing portends two things:

1)   That contrary to his claim of “I belong to no one and I belong to everyone” our President belongs to someone and have repeatedly demonstrated that in his slow response to the carnage carried out by Fulani Herdsmen, while he won’t hesitate to label River State the most dangerous State in the federation and his prosecution of those opposed to the “National Grazing Reserve Bill” before the senate including a serving Governor.

2)      His skewed appointments only go to confirm the stand of many that he is the President of the North

Conclusion:

The victory of the APC and President Mohammadu Buhari at the Polls was greeted with enthusiasm (like his first coming in 1984) by Nigerians and the International Community and Nigerians looked forward hopefully to progressive changes for the better. One year down the line, that optimism is being gradually replaced with despondency.

The President and his handlers must move fast in the following areas:

1)      Take steps to assure the Christian Community that the President has no plans to Islamize Nigeria. if indeed he does not harbor such intentions

2)      Reflect Federal Character in Key Appointments (It’s never too late to be right)

3)      In the Coup Speech of August 27, 1985 Brigadier Joshua Nimyel Dogonyaro as he was then said and I quote “The Nigerian public has been made to believe that the slow pace of action of the Federal Government Headed by Major-General Muhamadu Buhari was due to the enormity of the problems left by the last civilian administration. Although it is true that a lot of problems were left behind by the last civilian government, the real reason, however, for the very slow pace of action is due to lack of unanimity of purpose among the ruling body; subsequently, the business of governance, has gradually been subjected to ill-motivated power play considerations”.

     The Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo alluded to the lack of unanimity of purpose when he was quoted recently to have said “Nigerian Elites are yet to come to a consensus on National issues”

The Honorable Minister of Transport was also quoted in a recent forum to have said “The Blame game has to stop”  

The Government must take necessary steps to draft a clear economic policy that will cushion the effects of the current harsh economic environment that the masses are subjected to.

In the short term, the Government should urgently roll out the palliative measures they promised Nigerians at the wake of the removal of fuel subsidy or whatever they call the new petroleum price regime. It’s time for Mr. President who is ready to challenge anyone to wrestling match to hit the ground running.

Just Thinking Aloud